"Heaven Reversal Elixir Codex!"

Motes of green light spread across his entire body, finally easing the feverish heat surging within Nie Kong. He couldn't help but breathe a quiet sigh of relief. The main purpose of the "Heaven Reversal Elixir Codex" was therapeutic; while it could dispel some negative effects, it wasn't entirely suitable for the fallout caused by this lust-inducing illusion.

It was a pity that the pits from the "Phoenix Eye Fruit" kernels had all been consumed by the time he entered the Yin Ruins. Otherwise, consuming some at this critical juncture would surely have yielded a better result.

He couldn't tell how much time had passed, nor how many figures still remained within the illusion. Nie Kong’s thoughts raced. The voice, so deeply alluring and capable of shaking the soul, continued to resonate in his mind, causing his blood to boil once more. Nie Kong could only urge the little fellow to unleash the "Heaven Reversal Elixir Codex" again. Though the effect was minimal, it provided some small relief...

"Go!"

A howl erupted, and another young man was swept out of the illusion.

This one was even more pathetic; even without the harassment of the sound, a lewd grin remained plastered on his face, as if he were surrounded by naked, peerless beauties. It was only when the surrounding laughter pierced his ears that he snapped back to reality, his handsome face flushing deep crimson.

Almost the instant he started walking dejectedly toward the edge of the clearing, two more figures followed in his footsteps, ejected from the illusion by Mu Jinzhu. At this moment, only a sparse five people remained stubbornly standing on the wide jade platform, one of whom was contorted with a ferocious expression, yet still gritting his teeth and persisting.

Seeing this scene, the surrounding crowd couldn't help but grow tense.

"Mother, four have left now. Can the second trial conclude?"

On the high platform, Mu Qingying anxiously shook Mu Qingyi’s arm and called out softly. Seeing Nie Kong’s face flushed and his body trembling slightly, even her ample confidence began to waver.

Mu Qingyi smiled. "Qingying, don't rush. I gave Jinzhu a time limit of fifteen minutes; only after that period passes can one be considered successful. The Yin Ruins are overwhelmingly populated by women, with countless peerless beauties among them. Do you truly wish to see your future husband constantly flirting with them? While a man with strong self-control might not necessarily succumb to the temptations of other women, a man lacking control certainly cannot pass."

"This..."

Mu Qingying knew her mother’s words held weight, but what if the one enduring until the very end wasn't the man she desired? Wouldn't her hopes be dashed? Hesitantly, she kept the rest of her thoughts unspoken, merely watching the lone figure on the jade slab, her small hand instinctively clenching tight.

"Ah!"

The man with the ferocious expression could no longer hold on, springing up from the jade slab and lunging desperately toward the empty space ahead. However, since they were all members of the Yin Ruins tribe, Mu Jinzhu would not allow him to utterly humiliate himself. Thus, just as he spread his arms in an attempt to embrace, the man was sent flying backward.

"Heaven Reversal Elixir Codex!"

Nie Kong couldn't sense his surroundings and continued to resist the intense impulses surging through his body.

By now, the little fellow had cast the "Heaven Reversal Elixir Codex" five times consecutively at Nie Kong's request, and each time the effect was worse than the last. This final application achieved almost nothing; the heat erupting within his body felt capable of incinerating him to ash.

This illusion targeted the mind directly, not the body. Even an eunuch would find such a sensual phantasm overwhelmingly difficult to resist.

‘Never mind the consequences!’

Nie Kong suddenly gritted his teeth and used his spiritual power as needles, striking precisely at his nine major hidden acupoints.

Moments later, the spiritual power condensed into needles began to fluctuate, and his trembling body gradually achieved a measure of stillness. Nie Kong employed the "Nine Revolutions Golden Needle Technique" at this critical juncture—

Not to dissipate the impulse, but to completely seal off his physical form.

If his body showed no reaction, how powerful could the urge be?

The boiling blood gradually calmed, the hurried breaths weakening. Unconsciously, all of Nie Kong's vital signs seemed to vanish, and the redness on his face receded, returning to normal in moments. Were it not for the slight tremor in Nie Kong's right index finger, he would have appeared as a flawless statue.

Nie Kong had genuinely wished not to deploy this technique in public.

The plan he was about to undertake was exceptionally perilous. Despite his confidence and the presence of an ally, if something unexpected occurred, this "Nine Revolutions Golden Needle Technique" might be one of his ultimate life-saving trump cards. Now that it was exposed, deploying it again in the future would likely be ineffective.

This was the crucial moment; if he didn't act now, he feared he wouldn't last until the end. If he couldn't even approach Mu Qingyi, all his life-saving measures would be useless. Having brought his body under control, Nie Kong no longer needed restraint, allowing the plaintive, seductive moans to echo in his mind.

"Hmm?"

Outside the illusion, Mu Jinzhu let out a soft sound, a hint of surprise flickering across her face.

Among the remaining young men, Mu Jinzhu paid the closest attention to Nie Kong. In her view, his self-control was already quite commendable, matched by only one other person. With the fifteen-minute limit drawing near, they both stood a good chance of passing the second trial, barring any mishaps.

Yet, at this critical juncture, Nie Kong's reaction changed drastically. Not only did all outward manifestations of being seduced by the illusion disappear, but his very life force seemed to flow away subtly. "It's as if the person sitting in meditation within the illusion is no longer alive, but a living corpse."

Recalling Nie Kong's preceding actions, Mu Jinzhu's gaze settled upon his right index finger, a flicker of bewilderment crossing her eyes. Could there be some profound mystery hidden within those movements?

"Mother, look, he’s definitely going to pass this second trial."

On the high platform, Mu Qingying cheered joyously. She had noticed the moment Nie Kong's expression shifted, but at the time, she couldn't judge the outcome of that change, so she had remained silent. Now, completely reassured, she could no longer suppress the delight bubbling in her chest.

"Mother sees it," Mu Qingyi shook her head helplessly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Nie Kong.

To possess such an uncanny method, plunging oneself into a state of simulated death—while difficult to conceal from a Heaven Spirit Realm expert like herself, once he concealed himself in this manner, perhaps few people in the entire Yin Ruins would be able to sense his existence. Only now did Mu Qingyi truly take notice of him.

The massive contrast in Nie Kong's behavior between before and after did not escape the notice of the surrounding onlookers, and the murmur of discussion grew even more intense.

"..."

"Everyone else is about to crack, but that fellow shows no reaction at all. Going by appearances, he’s certainly the one who will last until the end."

"That’s not certain; there’s another person who is quite good too. Perhaps they can both advance to the third trial."

"I heard the man who was eliminated earlier say that fellow is named Mu Kong, and he seems to be from the Nanbiao City area. I wonder which part of Nanbiao City he hails from?"

"..."

"Bang!"

A figure shot out of the illusion, slamming hard onto the ground.

The intense pain shocked the man's consciousness back into wakefulness. After quickly glancing left and right, he scurried shamefacedly toward the edge of the field.

At this point, only one person remained in the illusion.

Nie Kong’s body remained motionless, yet the scene playing out in his mind was entirely different.

No longer forcibly resisting the auditory assault, Nie Kong’s thoughts ran wild like an unbridled steed. Images of profound sensuality flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern, intensifying the pleasure they brought.

However, no matter the turmoil within his mind, his physical body seemed rooted to the spot, anchored firmly to the ground without the slightest tremor.

"Time's up!"

Finally, Mu Jinzhu's voice sounded. The seductive murmurs and gorgeous visions in his mind vanished instantly. Nie Kong's body floated up lightly. When he felt the solidity of the ground beneath him, he was already outside the illusion, and the thunderous din from the surrounding area flooded back into his ears.

Nie Kong raised his right hand, and the nine needles condensed from spiritual power dissipated. The effects of the "Nine Revolutions Golden Needle Technique" on his body rapidly receded. The sound of his breath, the beat of his organs, the flow of his blood... almost instantaneously, everything returned to normal within him.

Nie Kong quickly looked around and saw three other figures near the jade slab: one was Mu Jinzhu, and the remaining two were young men. One of them was exceptionally sturdy and tall; this was the man who had caught Nie Kong's eye when they first met in the side hall.

"Mu Dai, Mu Kong..."

Mu Jinzhu slowly spoke the two names, her gaze sweeping over the towering man and Nie Kong, her voice laced with a hint of appreciation. "Congratulations to you both; you have passed the second trial. The upcoming third trial will take place between you two. The victor will be Princess Qingying’s husband."

"What about me? What about me?"

The young man whose name was not called asked anxiously. All three had emerged from the illusion almost simultaneously; there was no reason they should pass while he failed.

"You?"

Mu Jinzhu smiled faintly. "What were you attempting to do just before you heard my voice?"

"I, uh..."

The young man's face turned crimson. After stammering for a long moment, he finally couldn't bear Mu Jinzhu's scrutinizing gaze and left as if crushed by defeat.

Mu Jinzhu's eyes then returned to Nie Kong and Mu Hong, and she smiled slightly. "You are both Spirit Alchemists. Therefore, the third trial will be very simple for you. You only need to refine a Grade Four Spirit Medicine using the designated medicinal ingredients within a set time limit. The one with the higher fusion degree wins."

The third trial was alchemy!

Nie Kong’s expression relaxed. Although he had never attempted to refine a Grade Four Spirit Medicine before, the refining methods were already deeply etched in his memory. Furthermore, this trial was judged on the medicine's fusion degree. Since Nie Kong could infuse life force into the medicine and had the little fellow within him, achieving a low fusion degree would be difficult.

The only thing that surprised Nie Kong was that this burly fellow beside him was also a Spirit Alchemist. He wondered what his skill level was.

"Good!"

An excited shout rang out; it was Mu Hong, clapping his hands with genuine delight. He looked extremely confident about succeeding in this third trial...